The savings rate among Baby Boomers has dropped dramatically since the Recession began. Instead, Boomers are using their would-be retirement savings to help out family members from generations who are having an even tougher time. According to an Ameriprise survey, the share of Boomers saving for their own retirements has dropped from 44% to 24% since 2007. At the same time more than half of Boomers (58%) are providing financial assistance to aging parents. Almost all (93%) of them who have children are providing them with assistance including tuition and student loans (71%) and car buying (53%). Despite the fact… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Recession Economy, WorkAs we’ve noted here before, it often makes sense to treat Baby Boomers as two generations in one. The Early Boomers and the Late Boomers (aka Generation Jones) differ in some experiences and values. Now, some new market research suggests that Millennials may also be divided into two subgroups based on their different experiences of the Great Recession The study, conducted by marketing faculty at UMass, shows that older Millennials values have changed more due to their experience of the recession. That makes sense because Millennials in their 20s and 30s have been more exposed to the effects of the… Read More
Categories: Recession EconomyWe’ve typically characterized Millennials as an optimistic generation but that outlook may not survive their present circumstances. According to a widely publicized Newsweek story, Millennials are now America’s most “screwed” generation. The story cites a host of scary statistics: Millennials’ net worth fell 37% from 2005-2010 (Matures’ fell 13%). The wealth gap between Millennials and Matures is the highest on record. They have the highest unemployment rate at 12%, and it’s worse for younger Millennials Their average credit card and other debt is nearly $13,000 The typical student loan burden is $27,000 Only about half of graduates are able to… Read More
Categories: Home Ownership, Recession Economy, Training IndustryMillennial optimism is tempered by anxiety in new life stage known as “emerging adulthood.” Millennials feel as though they should be launching independent adult lives but haven’t been able to set sail. A Clark University survey finds many of them feeling anxiety (56%), uncertainty (65%), and depression (33%). Though 18-29 years old, most feel adulthood lay ahead of them and that it must surely be better than the intermediate stage they’re in (60%). There’s still more than a glimmer of optimism as 82% say it “still seems like anything is possible.” Millennials are riding out this tough stage by remaining… Read More
Categories: Generations, Recession EconomyThe Baby Boomers are the generation with the optimistic and “forever young” attitudes. Perhaps that’s why they don’t feel so bad about getting old, according to a survey conducted by the National Council on Aging. More than 75% of Boomers and Matures over 60 surveyed are optimistic that the best is still yet to come and expect to maintain or improve their quality of life over the next decade. Senior Boomers do worry about money. About half of those surveyed are concerned about covering their bills in the future. And about a third are worried about paying for long-term care… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Recession Economyhttp://www.newgeography.com/content/002960-are-millennials-screwed-generation Wonderful column on the plight of the Millennials in this time of “new normal.” Worth the read. What the author doesn’t mention is that the Millennials were raised to follow agenda and rules. They have. And now this. Bitterness? You’d better believe it. How will their bitterness manifest itself in ten, fifteen, or twenty years? No one knows. It could be a whole new level of activism to change their status quo. It could be reverting to their Boomer parent’s days of “tune in, turn on, and drop out.” When confronted with this size of an uphill battle, fight… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, Generations, Recession EconomyDespite the fact that Millennials have the highest rate of unemployment of any generation and are deeply in debt, they still use a big chunk of whatever money they have on discretionary and even luxury spending. According to one marketing agency, the average Millennial spends $784 a month on discretionary expenses like entertainment and eating out. According to American Express, they are the largest demographic for new purchases of technological gadgets and fashion apparel (up by 33%). They’re even increasing their purchases of jewelry (up by 27%). In part, Millennials’ parents are subsidizing their lifestyles. Over half of them cover… Read More
Categories: Blog, Recession EconomyRecent Census and Federal Reserve figures created jaw-dropping headlines when they revealed that most Americans’ net worth is no greater than it was 20 years ago. While the headlines suggest stagnation, the numbers revealed that net worth did increase but then fell back to what it was in 1992. During that decline, no generation lost more net worth than Generation X, by percentage. According to the Census Bureau, Generation X households lost close to 60% of their net worth between 2005 and 2010. In terms of actual dollars, the biggest losers were the younger half of the Baby Boomers, sometimes… Read More
Categories: UncategorizedJust when Generation X is reaching its peak career and earning years, they are finding that the Baby Boomers won’t get out of their way. Many Boomers are delaying retirement due to the recession or simply because they prefer to work. In fact, the participation rate in the labor force among those over 55 is as high as it’s ever been. Xers, contrary to their reputation as slackers, are highly educated, career-oriented, and ambitious, but their path to the top is not clear. In a recent survey, 40% of them say they are not satisfied with their career progress and… Read More
Categories: Baby Boomers, WorkFaced with bleak employment prospects and a business climate increasingly geared toward independent consultants, more and more Millennials are opting for freelance employment as independent contractors than ever before. In a recent Elance survey, 83% of Millennials said they expected freelancing to be part of their career path and only 27% said that they preferred traditional employment to freelancing. A majority of Millennials who are currently freelancing say that they prefer it to working for a single employer. In another look at the issue, the CEO of MBO Partners, a consulting firm, cites a 250% increase in the number of… Read More
Categories: Workplace